1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modular jack, and particularly to a modular jack with a reduced height.
2. Description of Related Art
Modular jack is widely used in a computer communication network or a wire telephone network. A conventional modular jack comprises an insulative housing, and a plurality of terminals assembled in the housing for connecting with mating contacts of a complementary plug connector and conductors of a mating cable at opposite ends. The terminals connect with the conductors of the cable at a horizontal rear end of the housing. However, when the cable is subjected to an external force in a horizontal direction, the connection between the terminals and the conductors is easy to break. A modular jack disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application No. 76209220 overcomes the aforesaid disadvantage. Referring to FIG. 5, a modular jack 5 comprises an insulative housing 50, and a plurality of terminals 51 assembled in the housing 50. The housing 50 comprises a receiving space 500 for receiving a complementary plug connector 6, and a plurality of front-to-back through passageways 501 at a bottom wall of the housing 50 communicating with the receiving space 500 for receiving the terminals 51. Each terminal 51 comprises a mounting portion 511 received in the passageway 501, a spring contacting portion 512 extending slantways upwardly from a front end of the mounting portion 511 to mate with the plug connector 6, and a tail portion 513 extending rearwardly from a rear end of the mounting portion 511 to electrically contact with a mating cable 7. The cable 7 comprises a contact 71 electrically assembled on a free end thereof to securely contact with the tail portion 513. However, the bottom wall of the housing 50 must be thick enough to hold the cable 7 and the tail portion 513, which will heighten the modular jack 5.
Hence, an improved modular jack is required to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional modular jack.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a modular jack with a reduced height.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a modular jack which ensures a reliable connection between its contacts and a corresponding cable.
In order to achieve the object set forth, a modular jack in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing and a terminal module received in the housing. The housing comprises a top wall, an opposite bottom wall and a pair of opposite side walls together defining a longitudinal receiving space for receiving a complementary plug connector and the terminal module. Each of the side walls defines a first recess at a rear end thereof and a second recess communicating with the first recess. The terminal module comprises a dielectric base and a plurality of terminals received in the base. The base comprises a pair of opposite spring arms to be received in the first recess. Each of the spring arms comprises a protrusion for being received in the second recess to securely retain the terminal module in the receiving space. Each of the terminals comprises a mounting portion, a tail portion extending upwardly from a rear end of the mounting portion, and a spring contacting portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from a front end of the mounting portion. In manufacturing, the mounting portions, the tail portions of the terminals, and corresponding conductors of a cable connected with the tail portions are together insert molded with the base. The terminals connect with the conductors of the cable at a top end of the housing, so the bottom wall of the housing needs not to be too thick and thus reduces the height of the modular jack. In addition, the connection between the tail portions and the conductors of the cable is not easy to break off.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.